Valve and sparking mechanism for hydrocarbon-engines.



L. E. LOWE. VALVE AND SPARKING MECHANISM FOR HYDROCARBON'BNGIN BS.

APPLIOATIONTILED DEO.3.1906.

Suoenfoz jevz'ELowe UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

LEVI E. LOWE, or COLUMBUS, oino.

N 0.8652650. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907. Application filed December 3.1906. Serial No. 346,027.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, LEVI E. Lows, a citizen of the i United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Valves and Sparking J Mechanism for Hydroearbon-Engincs, of which the fol- I lowing is a specification. i

My invention relates to a valve and sparking mechanl a sleeve 23 of insulating material. Binding nuts 24 are carried by the upper end of this stem and are adapted to have an electric wire secured thereto.

The operation of the device is as follows: The stem [8 is adapted to have an oscillatory movement imparted thereto in any desired manner. from the engine shaft, in order to move the contact point 20 toward and from the contact point 21. The means for imparting this oscilla tory mm'ement to the stem, .form no part of the present invention and they have consequently not been illus trated. A lever 25 is secured upon the upper end of the shaft 18 and a spring 26 normally tends to actuate this shaft to hold the finger 1.) away from the contact point 2.1, the lever 25 serving part of the connection between the shaft .18 and the engine shaft. It will therefore be seen that when the valve opens and the incoming charge passes therethrough, said charge is directed across the contact points 20 and 2t cooling and cleaning them. This cooling and cleansing action, prevents the formation of carbon. upon the sparking points and will consequently obviate much of the dillieulty that has heretofore been experienced from this source.

It has been found that in many instances, the engines have failed to work because the sparking points have been short ci cuited by having a drop of water strike them. This water is the result of condensation in the carburetor or the intake passages. It is a wellism for hydrocarbon engines and has for its object the provision of a device of this character constructed in such manner that the incoming charge of volatile lluid will effectually cool the valve and its casing and the sparking points, as well as keep said sparking points clean.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed lcscription which now follows:

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a sectional view of the upper end of an engine cylinder having my improvements applied thereto, Fig. 2 is an underside view of the valve casing and sparking mechanism, and, Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the valve easing upon line 1' IL of Fig. 1.

Like numerals designate corresponding the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, thenumeral 5 designates the upper end of a gas engine cylinder. The cylinder head 6 has an inlet port 7 and an exhaust port 8 formed 1 therein, the exhaust valve being omitted as it forms no 1e1le, results in rendering the parts through which it part of the present invention. passes very cold and this sometimes results in a conden- My invention relates particularly to the inlet valve sation of whatever moisture may be drawn in with the and the sparking mechanism. The inlet valve which explosive charge in damp or foggy weather. When a is indicated at 9 is mounted upon the usual stem 10 drop of water connects the two sparking points, a short which is slidably disposed in the neck 11 of a casing 12. circuit is formed and it is impossible to obtain a spark. An opening 13 extends entirely around this casing from the inlet port 7, the explosive mixture entering through the openings 15 which are formed in the wall of the casing and passing downwardly past the valve 9 to the up-. per end of the cylinder 5. A spring ltinormally holds the valve 9 upon its seat, said'spring bearing against the upper end of the casing and a nutll'whic'h is threaded upon the upper end oithe valve stem 10. It will there-,. fore be seen that the incoming charge of'cold fluid passes entirely around the valve casing 12 coming intdbontact with said casing or other part'thereof and effectually cooling said casing.

A vertical shaft 18 is journaled in the casing'and carries at its lower end a curved finger 19, one of the sparking points 20 being located at the free end of this finger (see Fig. 2) and the other sparking point 2lbeing carried, by the lower end ofa stem 22. This stem passes through parts in all of sparking points are located directly in the'path ofthe incoming charge such a difficulty'as this will be effecs tually obviated for the incoming charge will blow the water fromthe points.

From the foregoing description, it will be seenthat simple and eflicient means are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, but while the elements shown and described are ,well adapted to ".serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to precise construction set forth, but includes within its of the appended claims.

What I claim, is: v I g In a device of the character described, the combination with the cylinder of an exploslve-engine, ot er! Inlet valve k1 .OWI'). fact that the highly volatile character of gaso- By virtue of the present construction, in which these be understood that theinvention is not limited to the purview 'such changes as may be made. within thescope 'with a contact point adapted to contact with the first 2 I v I 866,650

comprising a valve stem and a valve head, a casing in head being so ehaped as to direct 11 'poi-tlqn of the gds flovv 10 which said valve is mounted, an oscillatory arm located against the contact points, said valve head lying'withil upon one side of said valve, 11 contact point located upon the curved portion of the finger.

the oppuait side at said valve, and a curved finger carried by and movable with the bscillatcry arm which extends around the'va ve head and ls provided upon its free end In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. I LEVI E. LOWE; Witnesses:

FRANK G CAMPBELL,

'A. L. PHELPS.

named contact point, said contact points being located in the path of gas flow past tne valve head, and said valve 

